Friday, November 29, 2013

With Thanksgiving behind it was time to take the little EOS M and panohead out for some practice. When I'm in need of some inspiration I have a favorite location that always seems to get me kick started. What I didn't count on was that location being closed up and dark. Even in the darkness though there was something new to experiment with.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Check out the November/December issue of Photo Technique Magazine to read my article on making the move from Large Format to Digital Photography using techniques such as stitching and HDR to achieve the look and feel of film.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Image Quality on the Road

I'm addicted to stitching. For me only a view camera matches the image quality I can achieve by stitching images together with a panohead.When I travel though, a DSLR and panohead can be a hassle. My Nikon D300 and panohead have a combined weight of more than 7 pounds. If the size and weight weren't enough I have yet to pass through airport security anywhere that I didn't have to pull all my gear out and explain what this strange device is.I have yearned for the equivalent of a field camera in the panohead world. Something lightweight and portable with all the image quality I have come to demand. Giving this some serious consideration I realized a few things about my current gear and the way I use it.

D300 and Universal Panohead

Camera

My Nikon D300 offers fantastic flexibility but I rarely tap into more than a few of its features. Most of its power simply goes unused for the type of shooting I do. The features that are most important to me are:

Full Manual Exposure Control

Automatic Bracketed Exposures

Interchangeable Lenses

Histogram and Preview

RAW Image Capture

Live View for critical focusing

Mirror Lockup

For a travel camera I had been contemplating a camera like the Nikon 7800 or Canon G16 as they offer reasonable image quality and a great feature set in a compact format. I have also considered the many mirorless cameras on the market. My hesitation has generally been the smaller sensor sizes of these cameras.

Recently the CanonEOS-M had a major price drop. This is a Mirorless Interchangeable Lens System Camera with a full APS-C sensor. With the exception of mirror lockup this camera offers all the features I require. It has the added advantage that with a very inexpensive adapter it can use all of my manual Nikon lenses.

Panohead

Universal Panohead Features and Specifications

Full 360 degree rotation in Horizontal and Vertical axes.

Camera Offset adjustable from 0 to 100mm

No Parallax Point Offset adjustable from 40 to 110mm

Precision Roller and Thrust Bearings

Weight 3lbs 13oz

Even though my universal panohead is completely adjustable, I find that the only adjustment I make is moving the camera along the rail for the No Parallax Points of different focal length lenses. There are only 4 different settings that I use for the different focal lengths that I have. I use it with only one camera so the horizontal rail (adjusts for the center of the lens offset from the base of the camera) stays at the same setting all the time. For each focal length lens I use there is only one horizontal rotation increment and one vertical increment to cover that angle of view.

I used this narrower set of requirements to design a lighter weight, purpose-built panohead for use with only one camera with only a few focal lengths. Reducing the universality of the panohead allowed me to design and fabricate a unit that is very light, compact and quick to use. Compared to a fully universal panohead this unit has:

Fixed Horizontal Offset (specific to the EOS-M)

Reduced Horizontal Rotation (covers 180 degrees)

Reduced Vertical Rotation (covers 180 degrees)

Fixed Rotation Points (set with a locating pin)

Simple Ground Shafts with Sleeve Bearings

Material is Bamboo

Disassembles without tools for packing

Total Weight is less than 1lb (10.75oz)

EOS-M with Bamboo Panohead

Inconveniences

In my view camera days, using a field camera generally meant living with some compromises. I was always trading off flexibility for weight and portability. There are a few inconveniences or things that I had to give up for this setup as well. The EOS-M does not have a wired remote. Not a big deal but it does mean using either the Infrared remote (designed to be used in front of the camera) or the 2 second shutter delay.

Size Comparison

Conclusion

Don't misunderstand, I am not replacing my universal head with this new travel head. When size and weight don't matter my universal head will always be my first choice. It's a rock solid performer and a joy to use. When throwing my gear into a suitcase for a work related trip the EOS-M and my bamboo head provide the essentials for photographing on the road.

If this sort of thing interests you, please stay tuned. I am preparing a full write up on the design and construction of this panohead. I will publish the guide as a PDF and provide a link from this blog. You can also read my other articles about building a panorama head at www.scotthendershot.com

Sunday, July 7, 2013

The first folio from my "In the Wake of Art" project is now available in PDF format. You can download the file here: In The Wake of Art (80MB) or if you have a slower connection try the lower res version here: In the Wake of Art.

The photographs in this folio were captured at the School of Art and Design at Alfred University. Inspired by the richness of the studio landscape constantly shifting and changing with the processes of the artists. This folio is an exploration of the beauty found in the tools and by-products that are part of the creative process.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

As a photographer letting go is not an easy thing to do. Last week my daughter got married. As a photographer I felt compelled to carry my gear with me and to direct the formal photographs and capture all the activity as though I were hired for the job. But my conscious rational side knew that it was not my job and was just not possible. Being a photographer at an event can be very isolating. When I am in that mode, the concern for losing a photographic opportunity is always present. Eyes are always scanning, brain always analyzing the light and composition and attempting to predict the critical moments. At a really important event this is amplified and I sometimes feel like I've taken in the experience through the view finder.So for my daughter's wedding I chose to let go of being the photographer. I did have my gear with me and I did take some candid shots. But I did this as a participant. As the evening progressed I relaxed and really enjoyed interacting with friends and family and being part of the moment. The light changed and the landscape shifted and a moment of inspiration fell on me as I was presented with the image that seemed to express the emotion of the entire day. I only needed a few minutes to set up and make one series of exposures.I don't think the artists in us ever stop seeing or feeling. But like a veil, the expectation of making a beautiful photograph, obscures and diminishes our sight even if only a little. Removing the distractions and the expectations and immersing ourselves in the moment lets us be open to a more subtle and possibly richer interpretation.